Hello everyone,

iam new to the forum but i used to come here and read the posts on UC ALOT when i was first diagnosed and trying to make sense of what happened to my world. So i just wanted to say thank you to you all for (inadvertently) re-assuring me and giving me hope during the 'dark' days.

Anyhows, my UC has been in remission (touch wood) and i hope it will stay that way...not sure what getting pregnant again and giving birth will do to it but that's a whole other topic....however i have had problems with fissures, yes fissures!

sept 2011 (UC in remission): was taking about 20 bil live bacteria/day (=1 capsule of any typical probiotic supplement) and it was constipating me however i though heck why not as long as it keeps UC at bay; however during one BM (bowel motion) i felt this sharp pain almist like a razor cut and there was a little bit of blood on the toilet paper. The area later felt sore and the GP had a look and told me that i had an anterior fissure. I used rectogesic, and started the fibre and decreased the probiotic and it healed within 6 weeks. So it took a while but it healed. It was quite painful though..

However just 2 days ago i felt a pain during BM, but not as sharp, and there was some blood on tp again...now im back on rectogesic and noticing improvements (i think the cut is not as deep as the first one) so i think i might only use it for 3 days..since the blood stopped.

However iam really annoyed with this whole fissure thing because the BM i had 2 days ago was not 'solid' or constipated, it was just normal. But i went later in the day rather than the morning and i have noticed that whenever i don't go early morning i get:
a) trouble getting it all out (sorta like constipation) almost like my GI system just shuts down
b) hemmies and/or fissures

My questions are (soryyyy for the long post but had to give the details):
1) does any of you have bowel trouble if you don't go early morning (like before 9am)?
2) what do you think it making me so susceptible to fissures??? UC is in remission, yes i gave birth but i did not tear (they did a LATERAL episiotomy instead, not midline), and i don't have skin tags (just one teeny one which i get before getting the fissure usually)


Ugghhh it's soo frustrating!!! what do you think?


Cheers to all :)

Hi NotSoSickly,

Thank you so much for the reply...I don't know why but the post didn't include my signature although i ticked it (ive edited it now and it should show what meds/ supps iam taking)

I wish i could just stop the maintenance meds, im fine with them but i hate the idea of having to take a medication for the rest of my life esp coz im still young.
My GI told me to not even think about discontinuing the meds, another two GIs told me the same thing. So i have to take them if i get pregnant as well!!!

Re the fissure: i totally agree with you i used to have really firm stools as a child (in fact i never had soft stool or diarrhoea so funny i should get UC later in life) and even before being diagnosed but no fissures at all.

Now if i get stools that are a bit firmer than usual for a couple of days it does enough damage to cause a fissure.

Also, did you get the fissure WHILE you had the flare? or afterwards? coz with me it was months after the flare had ended and same now!

I only used enemas (mesalazine) while i had the flare but i do not use them otherwise...i do not have other symptoms like rectal pain etc just apparently can easily 'fissure' ...should i use them?

when i told my GI she didn't tell me to use anything and she didn't say they were because of UC...


Gotta love it

Poor thing. I feel your pain. This morning when I went to the bathroom, I felt the sting. I am pretty sure mine is returning. I even saw a drop of blood. It only gets worse from here. PLEASE hope it remains mild. It even hurt afterwards for a few minutes. Does your hurt after a movement for a few minutes? Truly awful.

I've never had one when I was flaring, it always seems to happen when my UC symptoms are at bay. I guess I should be thankful for that. UC flare up + a fissure wouldn't be fun. Neither condition is fun on its own. My GI said to use A&D or something before a movement to protect the skin but the last thing I want to do is rub cream into my anus right before I use the toilet, besides, I don't have too much warning if you know what I mean.

Are you on rectogesic for the fissure? I feel like my GI should have given me something but I also hate taking all these medications. I am in my 30s and I also hate the idea of being on medication forever. I just don't see any way around it in my case. I hope there are some better treatment options in the near future.

Gosh, 24 hours a day??? That's terrble. I never had a child, I am not sure why I get them. I've heard they are more common in people with Crohn's.

I just took a look and sure enough, I saw a split. I hope we both feel better ASAP. I am trying to rack my mind thinking of what could have caused this to happen today or over the course of the past few days/weeks but I can't think of anything. Mine looks bad, I am surprised I've gotten by without excruciating pain. This morning was not comfortable & it hurt afterwards for quite some time. I am scared for tomorrow.

I am thinking positive thoughts for you to heal quickly.

Hope you both feel better soon. Doesn't sound fun. :(